Exodus… a Thrash Metal originator. Exodus… Old School Thrash Metal. Exodus… Bonded By Blood, was the first album released by this very important Thrash Metal Band, (back in 1985). Why I feel Exodus is a very important Thrash Metal Band is due to their being one of the first Metal Bands to introduce this genre to the world. Back in 1985, there were not the hundreds of thousands of Thrash Metal Bands there are now… you can thank Exodus for influencing countless musicians and bands alike for embarking on their careers in Metal… Thrash Metal. Just seek out and read some interviews of past and current Thrash Metal musicians, you discover after awhile, that Exodus and especially their initial album Bonded By Blood is ultra revered. Yes, I am an Exodus fan, since 1985 until this very day. Lineup changes within Exodus has not made me wince one Metal bit. Guitarist Gary Holt and drummer Tom Hunting have held the Thrash Metal fort for Exodus over the past three decades, serving Exodus and their fans well… extremely well. (Note: Paul Bostaph has stepped in on drums for Exodus, he is an unreal great Metal drummer at large).

Last night, I watched my beloved New York Yankees lose to the Angels… ugh. A great game, yet I was anticipating the Yankees to close things out and head to the World Series to beat down the Phillies. Not feeling the cheeriest, I headed down to the basement… to my Metal oasis. Once I began staring at my CD racks, I decided I needed a lift-me-up, some Metal to clear my senses and put me back in the game of life. Exodus Bonded By Blood caught my eye… this CD was just aching to get heard – once again. I put this CD on, sat back and let the Thrash Metal of Exodus infiltrate my senses. Well, it was only halfway into the first song – Bonded By Blood, that I then got off of my butt and began to stalk around my basement like the fiendish Metalhead that I have been my entire life. I raised and pumped my fists into the air, played air guitar and bass, then did some pummeling air drums like there was no freaking tomorrow. Yes, life is not good, it is great when I can turn to Metal… turn to vintage Exodus, to whip my mood into the positive realm where it belongs.

Listening to the late and unreal great – Paul Baloff on lead vocals is as inspiring to me as all damn hell. His vocals were not your stereotypical Thrash Metal type… he resonated with the influence of early Rob Halford of Judas Priest… in my Metal opinion, still exuding his very own style that to this day is untouched. I reached for my CD jewel case of Bonded By Blood, (my copy is the reissue by Combat Records, it also has the alternate cover that is shown at the left and bottom of this post). The original front cover artwork is damn more cool than the alternate version, just look at it at the top of this post for proof. On the back cover of Bonded By Blood, it has a group photo of Exodus… Paul Baloff is shown wearing a Pipers Pit sleeveless t-shirt. Rowdy Roddy Piper… Paul Baloff… man, that is as fitting a shirt as any for him to wear back then. I used to be the f’n biggest Rowdy Roddy Piper fan around, imitating his wrestling moves and voice too… silly and cool memories, all courtesy of one photo of Exodus.

This Bonded By Blood album kicked my butt last night, just as it did back in the day. Having the private freedom to go bonkers to the Old School Thrash Metal of Exodus last night exhilarated me into feeling tired enough to finally go to sleep. Exodus was a friend to me last night, their music strikes that Metal chord with me. No Love and Deliver Us To Evil are my two extra favorite tracks on Bonded By Blood… holy crap, does the psyche out meter catch on fire for me when these songs are cranked up. I can’t use the word recommend to prospective fans when discussing Bonded By Blood, instead the words I will use are: get this album if you have not already – otherwise you are missing out on a Thrash Metal achievement that catapulted Thrash Metal into what it is today.

Exodus as they appeared on their first album Bonded By Blood:

Gary Holt on guitar

Rick Hunolt on guitar

Paul Baloff on lead vocals

Tom Hunting on drums

Rob McKillop on bass

Track Listing for Bonded By Blood:

Bonded By Blood

Exodus

And Then There Were None

A Lesson In Violence

Metal Commando

Piranha

No Love

Deliver Us To Evil

Strike Up The Beast

* Two bonus tracks are found on the Combat Records reissue that I own… they are both live recordings of: And Then There Were None and A Lesson In Violence. Steve Souza is the lead vocalist on these live tracks… yeah, I think Steve Souza is really cool too… convict me of being an Exodus fan boy already, that is just the damn way it is. I am a Metal fan that has been around the Metal block a few times, paid my Metal fan dues and could give a rats rotting and infected butt if anyone out there considers me a fan boy of any band.

* Exodus under the leadership of Gary Holt, covered the entire Bonded By Blood album, with the current Exodus lineup and released it on October 28, 2008. Yeah, I own that version too and I have nothing but Metal praise for Rob Dukes, the guy is the real deal for Exodus. Again, see my fan boy explanation above in regards to my being enthralled by Exodus’s Rob Dukes. I am quite Metal certain, that I am not alone in my reverence for this band… both past and present. Exodus does not need any stinking Guitar Hero game named after them or useless strolls down any damed red carpet to be considered unreal great by me. I have spoken my Metal mind and it feels really, really, good.